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Real Madrid and A22 are gearing up to file a blockbuster civil suit in Spanish courts, seeking €4.5 billion (roughly $4.8 billion) in compensation following a latest court ruling on the European Super League saga. Background: The European Super League (ESL) was unveiled in April 2021 as a radical alternative to UEFA's Champions League, backed by 12 top clubs including Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, and several English giants like Manchester United and Liverpool. Promoted by A22 Sports Management (a company founded by Spanish banker and Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez), the ESL promised a closed-door format with guaranteed spots for founding members, massive TV revenues, and midweek fixtures to avoid clashing with domestic leagues. Proponents argued it would inject billions into clubs for sustainability amid rising costs, while critics—including fans, governments, and UEFA—slammed it as a "cartel" that undermined meritocracy, solidarity payments to smaller clubs, and the pyramid structure of European football. The backlash was swift and ferocious. Within 48 hours, fan protests erupted across Europe, English clubs withdrew en masse under pressure from Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Football Association, and UEFA threatened sanctions like bans from domestic competitions. The project collapsed spectacularly, leaving only Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus as holdouts. A22 rebranded it as the "Unify League" in late 2024, proposing a more open 96-team format with promotion/relegation to align with EU laws, but momentum stalled. The Legal Turning Point: CJEU and Spanish Court Rulings The ESL's legal lifeline came from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in December 2023. In a landmark antitrust case brought by A22, the CJEU ruled that UEFA and FIFA's prior-approval rules for new competitions violated EU competition law. The court found the governing bodies abused their "dominant position" by acting as both regulator and competitor, stifling innovation without justification. This echoed broader EU scrutiny of monopolies, like the €2.4 billion fine slapped on Google earlier in 2025 for similar anti-competitive behavior. Fast-forward to October 29, 2025: Madrid's Provincial Court (Audiencia Provincial) dismissed appeals from UEFA, La Liga, and Spain's Royal Football Federation (RFEF). The ruling explicitly confirmed UEFA's 2021 actions—threatening fines, player ineligibility, and club exclusions—constituted a "serious infringement" of EU rules, mirroring the CJEU's verdict. Real Madrid hailed it as validation, stating: "This paves the way for the club to claim substantial damages." A22 echoed this, noting "extensive discussions" with UEFA in 2025 on reforms (e.g., better governance, player welfare, free global streaming) had reached a "deadlock," accusing the body of stalling to preserve its monopoly. Real Madrid and A22 are now gearing up to file a blockbuster civil suit in Spanish courts, seeking €4.5 billion (roughly $4.8 billion) in compensation. The figure breaks down as: - Damages and Lost Profits: Estimated €3-4 billion in foregone revenue from sponsorships, broadcasting rights, and ticket sales. The ESL was projected to generate €4-5 billion annually, far outpacing the Champions League's €2.5 billion pot. Real Madrid claims UEFA's blockade cost them commercial deals and market share. - Reputational Harm: Around €500 million-€1 billion for the "PR disaster" that tarnished the club's image as a Super League instigator, leading to fan boycotts and sponsor hesitancy. A22 argues this extended to the entire project's ecosystem, including potential investor pullouts. Legal experts, citing AS reports, note the claim aligns with EU precedent: Just as Google's fine compensated affected parties, this could force UEFA to pay treble damages under competition law. Lawyers are finalizing documents, with filing expected in weeks. If UEFA appeals (likely to Spain's Supreme Court or back to the CJEU), payouts could be delayed years, but the momentum favors the plaintiffs.
